Regie O’ Hare Gibson (short bio)

“A talent rare charismatic and humane…you sing and chant for all of us. Nobody gets left out” ~ Kurt Vonnegut

Author, songwriter, educator and workshop facilitator Regie Gibson has performed taught and lectured at universities, theaters and various other venues in seven countries most recently Monfalcone, Italy where he was winner of the “Absolute Poetry” “Big Boat” poetry slam. Both he and his work appear in the New Line Cinema film "love jones” a film based on events in his life. He has performed throughout the United States and Canada as well as in Amsterdam Hamburg, Paris, England Italy and Cuba. He has performed with such artists as David Amram, John Legend, Mos Def, Pharaoh Sanders and Orchestra X. He is a National Poetry Slam Individual Champion. HE has been featured many times on American Television and radio and was nominated for a Boston Emmy Award for performance. In 2007 he founded Neon JuJu: A Literarymusic ensemble which combines spoken word, song, chant and poetry with hip-hop, funk, rock, classical instrumentation and electronica.

Zeitgeist One
American Apocalypse: 1963-1969 (poem excerpt)

It was the hour of tear gas and napalm
of monks igniting like huts of saffron straw
of red fear quaking in the grassy knoll
the bullet  the balcony  Audubon and Allah
It was our cities become crucibles of ash
and hurricanes of cock ripping rice women open.
It was the hour of knife and womb razor
the hour of hope impaled through its rib…

How did we come to this high place of lonely?
What solitary road did we travel to this stone?
What are the names of these scars of our anger?
What  do  you call this ineffable moan?

Zeitgeist One
American Apocalypse: 1963-1969 (estratto)

Era l'ora del gas lacrimogeno e del napalm
di monaci brucianti come capanne di paglia color zafferano
di paura comunista tremante nella collinetta erbosa
di Martin e Malcolm Audubon Allah
Era le nostre città divenute crogioli di cenere
e uragani, di un gallo che ruba il riso alle donne che aprono
Era il momento del coltello e del rasoio del ventre
l'ora della speranza impalata attraverso le sue costole...

Come siamo arrivati a questo luogo di solitudine
Quale strada solitaria abbiamo attraversato per questa pietra
Quali sono i nomi delle paure della nostra rabbia
Come lo chiami quest'ineffabile gemito

(traduzione di Anna Castellari)